Brooks Air Force Base, 1917-2011 United States military air base in San Antonio, Texas, USA
Brooks Air Force Base is a former military installation near San Antonio that sits on about 1,300 acres west of Interstate 37. The property features hangars, training grounds, and various buildings that reflect its long history in pilot training and space research.
The base was founded in 1917 to train flying pilots using the Gosport System, a method developed by the Royal Air Force. After World War I, it was renamed for Sidney J. Brooks Jr. and evolved into a center for aviation medicine and space research before closing in 2011.
The base bears the name of Sidney J. Brooks Jr., a local pilot who died in a training accident. The remaining hangars and open flight fields shape how visitors experience the site today, reflecting its role in the early days of aviation.
The site is now known as Brooks City-Base and functions as a community with residential areas, workplaces, and educational facilities. Access is via Interstate 37, and modern amenities like the VIA Brooks Transit Center support mobility throughout the grounds.
Hangar 9 is the oldest wooden airplane hangar still standing on a U.S. Air Force base, built during winters of 1917 and 1918. Its sturdy wood construction with large sliding doors at each end shows the simple but effective building methods of early aviation.
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